Reliable sources indicate that the United States (US) plans to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution in the coming weeks. This follows a series of designations, first against the ICC Prosecutor, Deputy Prosecutors, judges, Palestinian NGOs, and also the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory. Now is the time for states, civil society, academics, journalists, and all those committed to international justice and the rule of law to stand up and do everything possible to defend the Court and organisations supporting its work.
22 September 2025.
Civil society from around the world urgently calls on States Parties to the Rome Statute to do everything in their power to stop the proposed US sanctions against the ICC, an independent judicial institution with a mandate to confront impunity for the gravest crimes known to humanity. Sanctions against the ICC, taken unilaterally by a non-State Party, amount to an all-out assault on a global court backed by 125 States Parties and relied on by the international community to ensure accountability for atrocity crimes. Such sanctions would leave countless victims abandoned by obstructing a last resort to justice, weaponising the global financial system to choke the Court’s work, and entrenching double standards where power and politics dictate which survivors deserve justice.
Sanctioning the ICC would mark a dangerous turning point in the history of international justice, transforming a system designed to hold the most powerful accountable for atrocity crimes into one that instead shields the powerful. It involves retreating from hard-fought progress toward a rules-based order to a world where might triumphs over right. An international justice system built over decades could crumble in the face of external pressure exerted to unduly influence the course of justice. It is a total affront to the rule of law with devastating repercussions for justice everywhere: if the ICC can be manipulated through financial coercion, no court or accountability mechanism is safe in any country or region.
Sanctioning the ICC as an institution could sever the Court’s ability to function, including its access to financing from banks and states, and block essential services needed to keep it operating. US control over the global financial system ensures the impact of mere threats of sanctions reaches far beyond Washington, as non-American banks, insurers, and service providers often over-comply in fear of themselves being sanctioned, blocking even basic transactions. Without funds, the Court risks not being able to keep the lights on, pay staff, protect data, protect witnesses supporting its work, pay legal aid to victims and defendants, let alone deliver reparations to victims. It threatens core functions of the Court, including the detention of suspects. Hard-won gains, such as the recent arrest and surrender of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and the German arrest of Libyan suspect, Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, could be lost. Ongoing investigations of alleged international crimes in other situations might be stalled or abandoned indefinitely, leaving victims unable to access justice worldwide.
If sanctions render the Court inoperative, there will be no way back. We will have lost forever one of the most relevant institutions of the past century. The global community cannot let this happen.
We call on ICC States Parties to urgently protect the ICC and the Rule of Law by:
- Publicly and firmly rejecting sanctions against the ICC as an institution, its staff and officials, and organisations and individuals supporting its work.
- Bilaterally engaging with the US Administration to prevent designations against the ICC as an institution, its staff and officials, and organisations and individuals supporting its work.
- Adopting domestic and regional blocking measures including enforcing the European Union’s Blocking Statute (Council Regulation (EC) No 2271/96), to demonstrate solidarity and protect individuals and entities from the impact of sanctions and shield businesses within their respective territories so that they can continue to work with the ICC, its staff and officials, and civil society supporting the Court.
- Protecting service providers by guaranteeing that providing services to the ICC and organisations supporting its work is lawful and shielded.
- Developing practical alternatives to the US-dollar banking network of transactions that are cleared through the US financial system, so the Court and its supporters can keep funding their essential work.
- Providing guidance and creating legal safeguards to prevent non-US banks and service providers from over-complying with threats of US sanctions.
- Fulfilling their legal obligations under the Rome Statute, including financial contributions to the Court’s annual budget, strong political backing to the Court’s independence and continued functioning, cooperation with the Court notably on the arrests and surrender of suspects, and resisting any pressure to disengage in response to sanctions.
Signatories:
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- REDRESS
- TRIAL International
- European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
- Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
- Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI)
- Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI)
- International Association of People’s Lawyers Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers
- Professor Stuart Russell
- Robert F Kennedy Human Rights
- International humanitarian law and youth initiative (IHLYI)
- A.C. Reforma Judicial
- Dr. Brianne McGonigle Leyh
- Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide
- Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ)
- Synergy for Justice
- Athena Tech & Atrocities Advisory
- Irene Lopz Llandres, Trial lawyer
- Coalition for the International Criminal Court
- Centro de Investigación y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos CIPRODEH
- Mediterranean Centre for Peace and Security (CMPS)
- Ana-Maria Negrilă, Legal professional
- Professor Gill H. Boehringer
- Human Rights Watch
- Impact litigation
- ALTSEAN-Burma
- Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
- Prof. dr. mr. Sergey Vasiliev, Open University
- Norwegian Helsinki Committee
- Center for Prisoners Rights
- Louise Joseph, Student
- Noah Kaiser, Student
- Coalition for Genocide Response
- Anethum Global
- Platform for Peace and Humanity
- Manushya Foundation
- Danya Centeno
- Flinders University
- Human Rights Solidarity
- League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)
- Aged and Disability Advocacy Australia
- Stop Homophobie
- Marco Longobardo, Westminster Law School
- L’Association des Juristes pour le Respect du Droit International (JURDI)
- Coalition for Genocide Response
- Dr Ellie Smith
- BPW Canada
- Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group
- The Irish Council for Civil Liberties
- Zarga Organisation for Rural Development
- Christophe Tafelmacher
- Elke Zipperer
- Avocats Sans Frontières
- Nick Leddy, Legal Action Worldwide
- Unity Up for Peace and Humanity
- Ezequiel Jiménez, Senior Fellow, Center for International Law Research and Policy
- DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights
- Fannie Lafontaine, Université Laval
- Sarah Kasande
- Baltasar Garzón International Foundation FIBGAR
- Legal Action Worldwide
- Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos
- Kurdish organizations Network coalition for the International Criminal court (KONCICC)
- Washington Working Group for the International Criminal Court
- A World Without Chemical and Biological Weapons
- Kurdistan without Genocide
- Justine Vinet
- International Community care e.V
- Emre Acar
- Juleen Fatiaki
- Silva Avetisyan
- International Service for Human Rights
- Nuremberg Human Rights Centre
- StoptheDrugWar.org
- Darfur Call
- Libya Crimes Watch (LCW)
- Justice For All
- Ligue pour la Paix, les Droits de l’Homme et la Justice (LIPADHOJ)
- International Commission of Jurists, ICJ Norway
- Prof. Triestino Mariniello
- World Without Genocide
- Comisión de Derechos Humanos de El Salvador
- Professor Leila Nadya Sadat
- Jasmina Brankovic
- African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
- Graham Blewitt, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY
- Organization of the Justice Campaign- OJC
- Kurdistan organizations Network to Abolish Nuclear and Mass Destruction Weapons-KONW
- Asociacion Pro Derechos Humanos de España
- Organization Against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Kurdistan
- Life campaign to abolish the death sentence in Kurdistan Network
- Anfal storys Organization
- Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, Ukraine
- United Nations Association of Sweden
- Action pour la Réforme de la justice et la promotion des droits de l’homme (ARJPDH)
- Prof. Alessandra Annoni
- Dr Rosalie Clarke
- Ilana Machover
- Moshé Machover, emeritus professor, Kings College University of London
- Université Libre de Bruxelles
- Daniel Machover
- Rights for Peace
- Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society
- Kenya Human Rights Commission
- Blue House & Partners Ltd
- Rutgers Law School
- Adam Rliey, 3 Hare Court
- Medico international
- Human Rights Centre ZMINA
- Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
- Center for Constitutional Rights
- Civil Society Institute – Armenia
- “Viasna” human rights center
- World Organization Against Torture – OMCT
- Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA)
- World Federalist Movement – Institute for Global Policy
- Zafar Abbas of Averroes Solicitors
- Students for Global Democracy Uganda
- Youth Compassion for Humanity Uganda
- Professor Yosefa Loshitzky, SOAS University of London
- Dr Joseph Powderly, Leiden University
- Diane Marie Amann
- World Federalist Movement/Institute for Global Policy
- Isaac Kukwa Chiangeh, Universal Foundation On Good Governance And Human Rights
- International Platform of Jurists for East Timor
- Vitor Neves, Associação Jurídica do Porto
- Gabor Rona, Professor of Practice, Cardozo Law School
- Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN)
- International Legal Initiative Public Foundation
- Prof. Jennifer Trahan
- Association France Palestine Solidarité
- Pedro Pinto Leite
- Tegan Saunders, Human rights consultant
- Euloge Fortuné Mocpat
- Lynda Moore
- Luisa Hofmann, Student
- MEDEL- Magistrats Européens pour la Démocratie et les Libertés
- Al-Haq
- Centre marocain pour la loi et la paix
- Pascal Turlan, Lawyer, Adjunct Professor at ScPo Paris
- Marie Kindblom Tornell
- Afghanistan Transitional Justice Coordination Group
- Center for Civil Liberties
- Tyler Holmes
- Association of relatives of political prisoners of the Kremlin
- International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
- Petra Hirschhorn
- Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre
- Lawyers for Justice in Libya
- Center for Global Justice & Human Rights “M.A.R.A.”
- Gary W. Levvis, LLM/PhD
- Gissou Nia, human rights lawyer
- Celeste Kmiotek, human rights lawyer
- Elise Baker, human rights lawyer
- Geoff Dancy, University of Toronto
- Jean Stokan, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
- Christy Fujio, Synergy for Justice
- Ellen J. Kennedy, Ph.D., World Without Genocide
- Advocate Shahanur Islam, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
- Sukhman Dhami, Ensaaf
- Soon-Young YOONH, founder and co-director of Cities for CEDAW History and Futures Project
- Dr Idrissou, Solidarités Sans Frontières
- Professor Lawrence Wittner, State University of New York/Albany
- Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man, DAWN
- George Washington Institute
- Human Rights Online Philippines (HRonlinePH)
- Soroti Women Cooperative Union Limited
- Edgardo Cabalitan Jr., Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA)
- Joseph Michael de Jesus, In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND)
- Nina Moraitou-Politzi, Student
- Charu Lata Hogg, All Survivors Project
- Stephen Rapp, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice
- Netherlands Helsinki Committee
- Yavuz Aydin, Justice for Rule of Law ASBL
- Protection of Rights without Borders NGO
- Elisabetta Tarquini, Magistratura Democratica
- Wolfgang Schomburg, Former Judge of UN-ICTY and UN-ICTR
- Michelle Pace, Professor in Global Studies Roskilde University
- DAWN
- Arshak Gasparyan, Center for Truth and Justice, Armenia
- Samy Benadi, Goethe Universität
- Human Rights Association (İHD)
- Natalie Landau
- Mark Kersten, Wayamo Foundation
- Center for Development of International Law
- Mark Clixby, Amnesty International
- Yevgeniy Zakharov, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
- Slawny Florence, Section Ligue des Droits de l Homme Ivry /Vitry
- Amy Antonucci, NH Peace Action Education Fund
- Amnesty International
- World Court of Human Rights Coalition
- United Church of Christ
- LDH (Ligue des droits de l’Homme)
- Dr. Eitan Diamond, IHL Centre
- Christian M. De Vos, Visiting Assistant Professor, CUNY School of Law
- Judith Armatta, human rights lawyer
- Anne-Aël Pohu
- Dr. Ronald Pagnucco, Coordinating Editor, Journal of Social Encounters
- OSINT FOR UKRAINE
- Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
- Minnesota Peace Project
- Bhedos Mshimbe Lu kendo, Commission de Réflexion et d’orientation sur la Paix et le Développement dans la Région de Grands Lacs, CROIS – GL
- Robert Salin, Ihmisoikeusliitto – Finnish League for Human Rights
- Gareth Evans
- Antonio Vallini, Università di Pisa
- Ordre des avocats de Genève
- Jenni Rantasalo, student
- Swedish Foundation for Human Rights
- Romana Cacchioli, Executive Director, PEN International
- Dr.Gunal Kursun, Human Rights Agenda Association, Turkish Coalition for the ICC
- Sanna Strokirk-Lilja, Activist
- Olof Palme International Center
- Karin Norman, Professor emerita, Stockholm University
- Ilson Vieira Ruiz, Soka Gakkai Internacional
- Lenitha Hedqvist, Luleå FN förening, Sweden
- Medica Mondiale e.V.
- Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University
- Global Justice Center
- Asia Justice Coalition
- Amy Smith, Fortify Rights
- Kate Vigneswaran, International Commission of Jurists
- Tom Syring, Human Rights Research League
- Ewa Hofmańska Foundation Sunflowers
- Mischa Gureghian Hall
- Rebecca Shoot, Co-Convener, Washington Working Group for the International Criminal Court and ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
- Claudia Haenel, Student
- Anabela Atanasio Alves, Former Legal Adviser to the UN ICTY, ICC Presidency, OSCE, Nuremberg Academy
- David Caceres Martinez, Stichting Venezolaanse Vluchtelingen
- Patrick Phongsathorn, Fortify Rights
- Emeritus Professor Roger S. Clark
- Darfur Network for Human Rights
- Érick Sullivan, Clinique de droit international pénal et humanitaire, Faculté de droit, Université Laval